It’s a shame that Facebook has made high-school reunions more obsolete than fax machines, because in the next year or so, you’ll be able to drive away from a BMW dealer in an M5 you don’t own—but rent by the hour. The company’s BMW on Demand program, already in place in Europe, launches in the U.S. on August 13. Only differently trimmed versions of the 328i will be in the fleet to start; 7ers join next, and eventually BMW plans to stock even more models, including the M3 and M5.

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Only a few New York–area dealerships are participating at the beginning, but we expect expansion to other cities where short-term car rentals have proven popular: Washington, D.C.; San Francisco; Seattle; Chicago; and maybe Los Angeles. BMW already operates a small car-share program in San Francisco with a fleet of ActiveE electric 1-series.

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Pricing hasn’t been announced, but a pre-launch website for the program lists the hourly rate for a 328i at $35, with a four-hour minimum. Even though that gives a four-hour rental a $140 price tag, the website says a full day from 9 a.m to 6 p.m. will run the same $140. A weekend rental costs $350—not much less than the monthly payment for a three-year lease on the same car. For now, at least, all the 328s are automatics and all include navigation as well as full insurance coverage.

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You probably can expect the fancier BMW models to cost a lot more money to rent, and there will no doubt be some additional screening (read: blood and DNA samples) to get into the 560-hp supersedan M5—even if it did take last place in a recent Car and Driver comparo. We’re just making an educated guess that, in addition to signing away one’s life to rent an M3 or M5, track driving will be specifically barred by rental agreements; nobody wants a black Sikorsky appearing on the horizon at Virginia International Raceway.

-You’ve no doubt considered by now that a 328i, for $140 a day—even including the insurance coverage—is a lousy value compared to a car from your local Rent-a-Sebring lot. It is. But we live in a society that’s hooked on luxury goods, and people want a piece, even if it’s just for a night. There are a number of websites that will rent out designer dresses or high-end purses for a nominal fee. Why would a Bimmer be any different?-]]>http://blog.caranddriver.com/forget-zipcar-bmw-to-rent-328i-by-the-hour%e2%80%94m3-m5-up-next/feed/0